1957 U-24 Miss U (Miss University District)

Unlimited hydroplane racing has had its share of unusual boats.
Some have proved to be trend setters — innovations that bettered
the breed. Others found fleeting fame as curiosity pieces — total
failures in the racing business.

One of the most unusual — best-remembered — boats in recent
years is Armand Swenson's Miss U. The boat appeared at only
one event, the 1957 Gold Cup in Seattle, Washington. Miss U
retains a special niche in unlimited racing's history and
folklore.

Unlike many "backyard" boats of the 1950's, Miss U
was anything but the hastily-conceived product of a hydro happy
daydreamer. The U 24 was the result of .months of experimentation
by its owner; designer-builder.

Swenson experimented with models. Initially, he toyed with a
variety of objects, studying principles of aerodynamics. As
hydromania increased its grip on Seattle in the mid-50's, Swenson
concentrated on aquatic models.

Swenson compared three point hulls with Vee-bottom craft: He was
skeptical of the three-pointers, feeling they tend to have too much
lift, thus allowing boats to become airborne, a cause of accidents,
Swenson prefers the Vee-bottom concept with modifications. "The
Vee-hull develops tremendous turbulence because of the Vee-bottom.
There's nothing but weight on it. So I decided to make a hull that
had a lot of lift in the front end, as well as being streamlined,"
Swenson explains. He constructed a model of his concept: After six
months of testing, Swenson was satisfied his idea was workable in a
real boat.

Swenson maintained a low-key approach. Few visitors were allowed
in the shop. A gunsmith by profession, Swenson admits he neglected
his business while he built the boat.

According to Swenson, Miss U was originally designed for
a gas turbine engine, one developing about 100 horsepower. No such
engine was available, so he had to settle for something else. Del
Fanning approached Swenson with an offer of a six cylinder Ranger
aircraft engine. Fanning, a Ranger employee, had experimented with
Ranger engines in his race car. Fanning experimented with the
engine's compression ratio. In its stock condition, the 300 pound
Ranger produced around 150 hp. By boosting the compression ratio to
almost 10:1 Fanning had a much more powerful engine. The engine
produced its maximum torque at about 4,000 rpm, when Fanning was
finished with it.

Miss U’s gear box, designed by Fanning, used a 3:1 ratio.
The Vee-drive gear box sat about a foot ahead of the engine, A
universal point connected the engine with the gear box. The two
propeller shafts exited under the forward third of the hull. The
contra-rotating props turned to the outboard. That is, when viewed
from the bow, the left prop turned clockwise, while the right prop
turned counterclockwise.

Miss U sported both s vertical and horizontal stabilizer.
To that extent, it was a step ahead of modern thinking. Swenson has
never given up on Miss U. He remains convinced his concept
can work. In 1984, Swenson brought his craft to San Diego to show
her off , after rebuilding her.